Evidence of a Multicopper Oxidase in Mn Oxidation by Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici.

ABSTRACT Manganese (Mn) oxidation by the plant-pathogenic fungus Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici has been correlated with virulence in take-all disease. The mechanism of Mn oxidation has not, however, been investigated adequately.

Fungal manganese oxidation in a reduced soil.

Manganese chemistry in soils is a function of complex, competing biotic and abiotic reactions. The role of soil-borne fungi in mediating these reactions is poorly understood. The objective of this article is to document direct observation of fungal Mn oxidation in soil under near in situ conditions, and to isolate, describe and confirm the role of fungi in the observed Mn oxidation, and present a model to explain our observations.